Steelers WRs coach Drake dies all of a sudden at 62
Pittsburgh Steelers vast receivers coach Darryl Drake died all of a sudden at age 62 on Sunday, the crew introduced.
The crew didn’t disclose a reason for loss of life. The Steelers canceled their coaching camp practices on Sunday and Monday.
“We’re perplexed following Darryl Drake’s passing this morning. Darryl had such an influence on the gamers he coached and everybody he labored with all through his complete profession. He was a passionate coach and had an amazing spirit towards life, his household, his religion and the sport of soccer,” Steelers president Artwork Rooney II stated in an announcement.
“Our prayers and ideas are along with his spouse, Sheila, his three daughters, his grandchildren and whole household throughout this tough time.”
Darryl Drake was coming into his second season because the vast receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire
Drake’s teaching profession spanned practically 4 many years, beginning as a Western Kentucky graduate assistant in 1983 earlier than he labored his manner into the NFL ranks. Drake was coming into his second season because the Steelers’ vast receivers coach after being employed in January 2018. He was an assistant coach for 16 years within the NFL, additionally serving as vast receivers coach for the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals.
At this time we mourn the premature passing of Pittsburgh Steelers vast receivers coach Darryl Drake. Darryl was the previous Bears vast receivers coach below Lovie Smith from 2004-12, together with the 2006 Tremendous Bowl look.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 11, 2019
Our hearts exit to the household and family members of Darryl Drake. It’s unimaginable to overstate his influence on the sport in practically 4 many years as a coach in faculty and the NFL.
At this time, your entire soccer group mourns his loss.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 11, 2019
I am heartbroken for anybody who had the privilege to know Darryl. As a person, a coach, a husband, and a father, he was nearly as good as they arrive. pic.twitter.com/VEVmjdVGbL
— Larry Fitzgerald (@LarryFitzgerald) August 11, 2019
Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs added on Instagram: “Shared plenty of real laughs with this man over my profession. We misplaced an awesome one. You’re missed Darryl Drake.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians received choked up Sunday when requested about Drake’s loss of life. Drake coached receivers with the Cardinals below Arians in 2013-2017.
“The world misplaced an awesome particular person,” Arians stated Sunday. “Not only a nice coach, however an awesome particular person, nice father, husband, grandfather. He is a father determine to plenty of gamers. He is had some nice gamers, however he was their dad. Simply having spent all that point pregame seeing him, and to assume that he is gone, is simply actually laborious to fathom. Prayers and condolences out to his household.”
Drake was well-liked all through the Steelers group for his vibrant character, soccer acumen and caring nature. Throughout practices, everybody from his receivers to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would continually chat him up on the sidelines or between drills. Drake was recognized for his colourful one-liners throughout practices, usually telling his gamers, “Do not drag the toe, click on it” throughout sideline-catch work.
Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster posted 100-catch seasons in Drake’s first and solely full season in Pittsburgh.
Smith-Schuster tweeted that “Coach Drake was actually my favourite coach that I’ve ever had on this sport.”
Relaxation In Peace Coach Drake pic.twitter.com/N6tg9h2kez
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) August 11, 2019
“Darryl was an in depth buddy and had an amazing influence on my teaching profession,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stated in an announcement. “He was a tremendous husband, father and grandfather, and it’s tough to place into phrases the grief our complete crew goes by proper now.
“Darryl liked the sport of soccer and each participant he ever coached. We are going to use our religion to information us and assist his household all through the tough time.”
ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report.